The brand is one of the great labels in Armenian fashion. A “shoe designer company” born in 1960 in Bourg-de-Péage (Romans), it was founded by the Kéloglanian brothers, Georges and Gérard, who made men’s shoes at the time.

In 1974, when Stephane Kéloglanian joined his brothers in the company, (they have all adopted the contraction Stephane Kélian as a trademark and corporate name for the newly registered company) the brand really took off in its home-town of Romans. And by 1978 it had developed an international reputation. 1978 was when the women’s line was launched. Stephane Kélian showed a highly creative sensitivity towards shoes. In the early 1980s he was quickly noticed in the fashion world for his commitment to innovation. He dared to do what others didn’t, making shoes with a strong identity, his famous plaited leather models. This technique forged his reputation and is still seen today as a trademark and a unique style, both for shoes and leather goods. The company enjoyed its years of glory from 1974 to 1995, and workforce numbers rose significantly. In early 1980, the label had two workshops, each with 40 people, and employed fifty plaiters (including 30 who plaited on lasts). The ‘80s was a prosperous decade for Stephane Kélian. The company made shoes for Maud Frizon and began a profitable series of partnerships with well-known designers: Claude Montana, Issey Miyake and Jean-Paul Gaultier. In the 1990s, the brand ran out of steam in the same way as the global accessory sector due to the trend for minimalism at the time. The years 2000 saw a re-birth for the brand. The “sleeping beauty” was re-awakened in 2007, when it was taken over by the Royer Group. The group bought the brand and set up a design office in Romans for its luxury segment. The models are manufactured in France, in top-quality workshops. Everything is designed and devised in France with a concern to maintain the brand’s style codes and adapt them to the needs of today’s elegant woman. The design office currently employs 13 people who are experienced in the traditional shoe-manufacturing skills: model maker, pattern maker, last maker, plaiter, seamer, etc… The Royer Group’s aim is to save all this expertise and French sophistication. There is even a museum next to the design office, which displays the archives that have been found.